Carrier for pneumatic-despatch tubes.



No. 666,747. Patanted Jan. 29, l90l. E. A. FOBDYCE. CARRIER FOB PNEUMATIC DESPATCH TUBES.

(Application filed Rom-5, 1900.) No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Patented Jan. 29, l90l.

E. A. FO RIJYcE.

CARRIER FOR PNEUMATIC DESPATCH TUBES.

(Application filed Nov. 5, 1900.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Inpual.)

1 Will NI'TED STATES PATENT Fries.

EDMOND A. FORDYCE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN PNEUMATIC SERVICE COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

CARRIER FOR PNEUMATIC-DESPATCH TUBES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 666,747, dated January 29, 1901.

Application filed November 5, 1900. Serial No. 35,472. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDMOND A. FoRDYoE, of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Carriers for Pneumatic- Despatch Tubes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a carrier for use in pneumatic-despatch tubes, and has for its objects, first, to provide a novel and improved form of packing, and, secondly, a novel looking mechanism for securing the cover or lid of the carrier to the body of the same.

My invention is designed for use in pneumatio tubes having a diameter of ten inches or less, the larger forms of tubescommonly employing wheeled carriers.

In sliding or frictional carriers, to which class my present invention relates, it has been found in practice that the wear on the packing-rings is most considerable during the first few weeks of their use. Subsequently the bearing-surface of the packing-rings becomes smooth and hardened, and the wear thereaf- 2 5 ter is considerably less. So far as I am aware in carriers of this type no means have heretofore ever been employed for efiecting an adjustment of the packing-rings radially of the carrier to compensate for this wear and make the carrier at all times snugly engage the inner surface of the tube. The principal object of my present invention, therefore, is to equip a carrier of the class described with a style of packing which shall be radially adjustable and expansible, so that the diameter of the packing-rings can be maintained at substantially the diameter of the inner wall of the tube.

With reference to the second object of my invention, it has been found in practice that the lids or covers of carriers frequently work loose when the carrier is in transit, thus causing the loss of the contents of the carrier and frequently blocking the tube. In my present invention I have produced a simpleand efiective locking device which automatically prevents the opening of the lid or cover and the loss of the contents of the carrier While the same is in transit.

My invention is illustrated in the accompa- 5o nying drawings, in Which Figure 1 is a vertical section, broken away, through a pneumatic tube, showing my improved carrier in side elevation therein. Fig.

2 is a transverse section of the carrier enlarged, illustrating my preferred means for adjusting and expanding the packing. Fig.

3 is a detail view of the forward end of the carrier, showing one of the packingrings. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view illustrating one element of the locking device. Fig. 5 is a similar view at right angles to the section of Fig. 4 and illustrating another element of the locking device. Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the lid or cover, showing the locking mechanism applied thereto.

Proceeding now to a detailed description of my invention, 1 designates the cylindrical body of the carrier, surrounding which are a pair of skeleton rings, (designated as a whole by the numeral 2.) One side of each ring consists of a solid annular plate 3, which serves as an abutment for the air-current, and within each ring, preferably at equally-spaced intervals, are formed a series of chambers 4, here shown as five in number, which are adapted to receive a series of radially adjustable and expansible packing-blocks 5. These packingblocks may be of any material found in practice to be best adapted for that purpose; but I have found that excellent results are secured by the use of packing-blocks made of lignum-vitze. Each packing-block rests upon a base-plate 6, adj ustably secured in the bottom of the chamber 4 by means of set-screws 7. The packing-block and its connected baseplate are retained in the chamber 4, with a provision for radial adjustment, by means of pins 8, passing through the same and through radial slots 9 in the sides of the chamber. It 0 will be noticed that the end walls of each chamber 4 converge outwardly to a slight extent, the opposed ends of the packing-block being made to conform thereto.

From the mechanism thus far described it is evident that by means of the set-screws 7 the packing-block 5 can be adjusted inwardly or outwardly radially of the carrier, and when so adjusted outwardly the block will be slightly compressed longitudinally, thereby causing its outer or bearing face to expand and fit the inner wall of the tube with the desired degree of snugness.

In practice the rings of the carrier constructed as hereinabove described are secured to the body of the same near the ends thereof and in such relation to each other that the packing-blocks in each ring will be in longitudinal alinement with the spacesin the other.

Referring now to my improved mechanism for locking the lid or cover of the carrier to the body of the same, 10 designates the said lid or cover, which may be suitably hinged at 11 in a bracket 11, secured to the inner wall of the body of the carrier.

12 indicates a pair of locking-bars sliding through the stirrups 13, secured on the inner side of the cover 10. The inner ends of these locking-bars 12 are pivoted to the opposite ends of an elongated plate 14, which latter is keyed or otherwise fixedly secured centrally thereof to a pivot-bolt 15, centrally journaled in the cover 10. The outer ends of the locking-bars 12are adapted to pass through registering apertures in the carrier-body and the rim of the door, as plainly shown in Fig. 4.

16 represents a bent finger pivoted at its base in a bracket 17, secured to the body of the carrier diametrically opposite the hinge 11. When the cover is closed, the free end of the finger 16 is adapted to bear against the outer surface of the same and to be securely held in such position by means of a notched disk 18, fixedly mounted on the pivot-bolt 15. A handle 19, which may be formed integrally with the disk 18, forms a means whereby said disk may be rotated, and a spring-pressed pin 20, secured ina recess in the inner face of said disk, is adapted in the rotation of the latter to snap over a pair of lugs 21, thus forming a means for securing the disk against accidental rotation. The notch 22 in the disk 18 is of a width slightly greater than the width of the finger 16, so that the latter is released from the locking engagement of the disk only when the disk is rotated so as to bring the notch in registry with the end of the finger.

The operation of my improved locking mechanism will be readily understood from the foregoing description. When a loaded carrier is to be transmitted, the lid is closed, bent finger 16 is pressed up into engagement therewith, the disk 18 is given a partial rotation by means of its handle 19, whereby the locking-bars 12 are thrust outwardly into locking engagement with their cooperating parts, and simultaneously the solid portion of the disk 18 passes over the end of the finger 16, looking it securely against the face of the door 10. If by any accident, while the carrier is in transit, the disk 18 should be turned back wardly, releasing the locking-bars 12 and the finger 16, the latter would simply drop slightly until it engaged the inner surface of the tube, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5, whereby the lid or cover would still be prevented from coming open.

In connection with the adjustable and expansible form of packing-ring already described I will note a few of the advantages inherent therein, as follows: The packing being in the form of separate blocks or sections spaced apart at considerable intervals, less than one-half the periphery of each ring isin actual frictional engagement ith the inner surface of the tube, whereby the friction, as compared with the ordinary form of packingring, is considerably decreased. Again, the packing-blocks being all radially adjustable in their chambers or sockets, any wear on the outer surface thereof can be readily compensated for and taken up by means of setscrews 7, thus avoiding the necessity of replacing the packing when considerably worn by new packing, and hence contributing to economy in construction and cost of materials. Again, the endwise compression of the packing-blocks as they are forced outwardly between the converging ends of their containing-chambers acts to expand or bulge outwardly the Wearing-surface of said blocks, thereby constituting an additional means for taking up wear and preventing leakage of the air-current past the carrier.

I claim as my invention 1. A carrier for pneumatic tubes, having secured to its body a series of spaced packingblocks combined with means for adjusting said blocks radially of the carrier.

2. A carrier for pneumatic tubes having secured to its bodya series of spaced packingblocks combined with means for adjusting said blocks radially of the carrier and for simultaneously expanding the wearing-faces of said blocks.

3. The combination with the body of the carrier of skeleton rings secured thereon and radially-adjustable packing-blocks secured in said rings.

4. The combination with the body of the carrier of skeleton rings secured thereon and radially adjustable and expansible packingblocks secured in spaced relation in said rings.

5. The combination with the body of the carrier, of skeleton rings secured thereon, said rings containing a series of spaced chambers having converging sides, a series of packing-blocks in said chambers, and adjustable plates in the bottoms of said chambers whereby the packingblocks may be forced outwardly to compensate for wear.

6. The combination with the body of the carrier, of a pair of skeleton rings secured thereon, said rings having a series of spaced chambers containing radially adjustable and expansible packing-blocks, and said rings being so secured on the body of the carrier as that the expanding blocks in each ring shall be in longitudinal alinement with the spaces in the other ring.

7. The combination with the body of the carrier of a lid or cover hinged to one end thereof, a notched disk pivoted on said lid and a bent finger pivoted to the body of the carrier, the free end of which finger is adapted to be locked against the face of the lid by said disk and to be released therefrom when in registry with the notch in the disk.

8. The combination with the body of the carrier, of a lid or cover hinged to one end thereof, a notched disk pivoted on said lid, a bent finger pivoted to the body of the carrier, the free end of which finger is adapted to be locked against the face of the lid by said disk and to be released therefrom when in registry With the notch in the disk, a pair :5 of radially-operating looking-bars secured in said cover, and means for simultaneously locking and unlocking said bars and curved finger.

EDMOND A. FORDYOE.

Witnesses:

FREDERICK C. GooDWIN, JEROME W. MILLINGTON. 

